When I awoke I looked around and groaned as I realized that I was back right where I had started from. As I head towards the exit I find my way blocked.

"Just where do you think your going?" Marco asks standing in front of the exit.

"Home."

"I don't think so." Marco replies.

"Move." I state trying to push past Marco who easily blocks my path.

"Sorry kid but Your not going anywhere." Marco replies.

"You know, it really wasn't a very good idea for you to have gone wandering around the city by yourself. It's not safe little one." Dwayne states his voice filled with disappointment.

Upon hearing the disappointment in his tone my eyes start to full with tears. "I... I'm sorry. I just wanted to go home."

"Yea well, Sorry to burst your bubble kid but that's not going to happen anytime soon. If you try to run away again or there will be consequences. Ones that I can assure you that you won't like. Do you understand?" David says as he enters the room.

I whimper and rush over to where Dwayne is and buries my head in his chest. Dwayne frowns as he pulls me into a protective embrace. "Congratulations David, You frightened her."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. Tell me, are you thirsty little one?" David asks kneeling down to my level. At first, I don't answer choosing instead to bury my face back in Dwayne's chest.

David clears his throat in warning and I glance at him momentarily as I timidly reply "a little" before burying my face back into Dwayne's chest.

"Then let me get you something to drink." David snaps his fingers and Marco nods in understanding. A few minutes later, Marco returns with a wine bottle and pours a red sticky substance into a baby bottle.

Marco hands me the baby bottle. "Here you go little babygirl, a nice fresh bottle of strawberry soda pop."

I look down at the baby bottle then frown and try and push the bottle into Marco's hands. "Im no baby. I want a cup."

Marco. frowns "this isn't some fancy restaurant kid, now drink from the damn bottle." David and the others frown at Marco.

"What?"

"Language!"

"You've got to be f..." Marco's sentence is cut off by an irritated David.

"Chose your words wisely Marco for they maybe be your last." David warns.

Marco sighs and rolls his eyes. "Fine. Don't be a spoiled brat! You can either drink from your own bottle or you can go thirsty. The choice is yours I couldn't care less either way."

I snatch the bottle from his hands drinking down the contents of the bottle rather quickly then looks down I pout at the empty bottle. Causing David to chuckle. "Want more!" I state looking over at Marco expectantly.

"Excuse me? Do I look like an errand boy to you?"

I pause a moment to consider his question. In all honesty I didn't really know what an errand boy was. I did however, know that I wanted more to drink and that Marco had brought the drink the first time. So after giving it some thought I finally reply "yes."

This causes the others to snicker while Marco's cheeks redden in embarrassment as he shoots an angry glare at the group. "It's not funny" he mutters before turning to me and replying "look kid, I'm not here to cater to your every whim. I have more important things to do." Marco replies with a frown.

I mimicked his frown and glanced up at David with a cute pout. I let out an irritated whine and David can't help but chuckle. "Marco, you heard Catherine she said she wants some more to drink, so go get her some more."

David states with a slight smirk as he tosses Marco the empty baby bottle. Marco mutters profanities under his breath as he refills the bottle. Dwayne covering my ears so I couldn't hear them. As he glares angrily at Marco.

As he goes to give me the bottle Dwayne smacks him upside the head. "Ow. What was that for?" Marco complains.

"For using foul language around the kids dummy."

"Bout (da*m) 🤬 time." I repeat on the of the words Marco had said and everyone looks at me in shock.

"What did you just say to me kid?"

"I said it's about (da*m) 🤬 time! Now gimmy!" I say glaring at him as he holds the bottle out of my reach.

"Did she just?"

"Catherine." Stacy gasps.

As amused as David was by how cute the swear sounded coming out of my mouth he knew he had to correct me. "Now little one, you shouldn't use language like that." I can't help but pout. "Give her the bottle Marco."

"No way. I'm not rewarding her bad behavior." Marco replies causing David's eyes to flash in anger a snarl curling his lips.

"Excuse me?!"

"Ok. Ok. Chill dude." He hands me the bottle and I eagerly and happily chug the bottle's contents down.

"Slow down baby or you'll give yourself a tummy ache." Dwayne states as he gently removes the half empty baby bottle from my hands.

"I'm not a baby." I mutter and the group smirks. "Your sister and you are the youngest members of our family. That makes you the babies."

I pout but before I can respond I begin to have a severe case of the hiccups.

Paul walks over and begins to rub circles on my back to help calm me body down. I could see Stacy pouting. Once the hiccups were gone Dwayne handed me back the baby bottle. "Here you go baby. Now remember, drink it slowly ok?"

"Otay." I reply with a slight yawn.

"Aww is our precious little gem getting sleepy?" David asks and I nod not realizing that I was beginning to feel comfortable around him.

"Can we go home now?" I ask but David shakes his head no.

"Sorry kid, but I'm afraid that your going to have to remain here with us." I pout and David can't help but chuckle at my cuteness. He bops me on my nose. "It's time for bedtime."

"No!"

"Excuse me? What did you just say?" David asks with a frown.

"No! No wanna."

"And why is that?" David asks trying hard not to lose his temper with her.

"Because she needs her teddy." Laddie states confidently.

"Is that so?" David asks in amusement.

"Yes." Laddie replies.

"And how exactly do you know that Laddie?" Marco asks in irritation.

"Because all kids her age sleep with some type of stuffed animal." Laddie replies.

"You don't."

"Actually he does." Star states walking over to where her and Laddie's sleeping quarters are located and pulling out an old warn out teddy bear. Now it's Laddie's turn to be embarrassed as his cheeks redden.

"Yeah well, we don't have any other stuffed animals and as David had already stated we're not taking you home. So do us all a favor stop being a brat and just shut up and go to sleep!"

I stick my tongue out at him in response. "If I were you, I'd put that tongue back in your mouth before someone cuts it out." Marco states.

At this, I whimper and bury my head into Dwayne's chest beginning to tremble and cry unable to stop the tears from flowing down my cheeks.

"Shhh." Dwayne whispers while rubbing circles on my back in an attempt to sooth me. He shoots Marco and angry glare. "What were you thinking Marco? She's just a baby!" He hisses at him.

"Oh come on, I was just teasing her."

"Have you forgotten how we found her? She's far too young to understand that type of teasing!" Dwayne replies as he continues to rub circles on my back as I have now begun to sob.

David shoots Marco an irritated glare. "You need to Cool it Marco." David says with a frown.

"Yeah man, that wasn't cool. That wasn't cool at all." Paul states

"Besides, it so happens that I have just the thing to suit her needs." Paul then pulls out a medium sized purple dragon with yellow eyes, a light pink tummy and small orange horns and wings. "His name is Figment." Paul says as he hands me the stuffed animal.

"Fank chu." I state giving Paul a huge hug.

"Any time." Paul replies kissing my forehead.

"Why's she talking like a baby all of a sudden?"

"Because you scared her. It's a defense mechanism." Star replies.

"How about you and your sis lay down and try get some sleep. It's been a long day and Princesses need their beauty sleep."

"They are no Princesses." Marco mutters under his breath.

David shot Marco another angry glare and he placed his arms up in the air in surrender. It didn't take Me long to fall asleep. I woke up a little over an hr later and stretched.

Then and began looking for Dwayne and Paul. When I didn't see them I immediately began crying. Dwayne rushes to my side in concern. "Sweetheart what's wrong?"

"Me woke up and you wasn't heya. Me got scawed. Me thought you weft me." I reply my eyes involuntary filling with tears.

"Shhh. That's never going to happen sweetheart. I was just outside getting some fresh air is all. There, there. Everything is going to be alright. Hay, I know what would cheer you up. A ride on my motor bike to the boardwalk."

"Weally? Can me wide de ponys?"

"Pony's?"

"Yah. De pony's dat go wound and wound and up and down."

"Oh. You mean the carousel? Of course pumpkin."

"We're not allowed on the boardwalk remember genius?" Marco states sarcastically.

"Why? Did you do something bad?"

"No."

"Den why can't you..."

"Because we can't so drop it kid." Marco replies irritatedly as he cuts her off mid sentence.

"But me wanna wide de howaseys." I state with a pout.

David leans back and begins to consider it. "Alright kitten we'll go to the boardwalk. You comin Star?"

"I think I'll stay here if you don't mind." Star replies.

"Yeah sure whatever, no problem." David states with a slight shrug.